'She's the queen' Gary Barlow admits that Sharon Osbourne is the head X Factor judge now

GARY Barlow is no longer top dog on the judging panel, according to the man himself.

Sharon Osbourne is X Factor's head judge according to Gary Barlow (WENN)

The Take That star revealed that Sharon Osbourne is well and truly in charge this year, after making her return to the ITV1 show.

Barlow joined the panel back in 2010 after Simon Cowell left, and was even given his own coffee mug with 'Head Judge' emblazoned on it.

Speaking backstage at the X Factor auditions at Wembley Arena, he said: "There’s no question she’s the head judge.

Gary said it's been 'brilliant' having Sharon back on the show (WENN)

There’s no question she’s the head judge. "The mug – I can’t even find it. It’s gone. She has been in and stood on it. She’s the queen. She’s back.

Gary Barlow

"The mug – I can’t even find it. It’s gone. She has been in and stood on it. She’s the queen. She’s back.

"It’s been brilliant having her back," he added. "It’s so good to have someone who has done so much TV work because she is totally at ease and she has brought out the worst in all of us!"

However, the singer/songwriter wasn't chuffed with her return from the word go - in fact, he was quite worried about it.

"The one thing I was dreading, though, was Sharon coming back and just stealing the whole thing – but that’s not her style at all," he explained.

Gary Barlow has told Simon Cowell that he needs to make a cameo this year (WENN)

The Take That singer used to be head judge when he replaced Simon Cowell (WENN)

"She’s come back and, like I said, she’s brought out the worst in everyone, which everyone is loving. And so going on to the set each day, it was just like I can’t wait to get up there and have a laugh."

Barlow has also told music mogul Cowell that he needs to make a cameo in this year's series in order for the ratings to get a boost.

"When I sat with him this year to talk about the show, the one thing I said was, ‘I think the viewers want you somewhere in this show.'

"The guy they’re all signing to at the end of this process is him. We’d love at any point for him to be involved and show up at boot camp or judges’ houses. He’s always up for it."

It is unsure what Nicole Scherzinger thinks of Sharon being head judge (WENN)